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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 11628
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 5:41am | IP Logged | 1
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I know we've discussed this previously.
Earlier today, a non-fiction author tweeted this:
Am I the only one who will be boycotting David Cameron's self-serving, self-justifying memoirs?
No, mate, you're NOT the only one. I also will not be buying David Cameron's memoirs. And I know a lot in my social circle who won't be buying it, either. I had coffee with my mother and brother recently. They won't be buying it, either.
The reason I hate the phrase is I think there's a little bit of a superiority complex at work.
I worked in an office once where one guy said, "Am I the only one who thinks we need to aim for an earlier finish time for opening post?" (This was a mailroom position). Erm, no, I, like others, wanted to finish earlier so we could move on to other duties.
"Am I the only one who saw this subtle social commentary in a movie?" "Am I the only one who has watched LEGION?"
Yep, heard those, too.
Maybe I am over-thinking, but the superiority complex aspect of that phrase is what irks me. Have I used that phrase? Possibly as a child, but it's one I loathe as an adult.
Returning to the original tweeter, why would he assume he is the ONLY one who isn't buying Cameron's memoirs? Isn't he putting himself on a pedestal?
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John Byrne
Imaginary X-Man
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 5:48am | IP Logged | 2
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"Am I the only one..." is a self-inflating (and lazy) way of asking "Who else is doing/thinking this?".
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 6:10am | IP Logged | 3
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It seems to come from a place of narcissism, ego, etc. And, as you say, a self-inflating way of asking "Who else is doing this?"
If I got lost in an underwater cave, and was kidnapped by an underwater Sasquatch, I may well ask, "Am I the only one who has been kidnapped by an underwater Sasquatch deep in the oceans?" Chances are, no-one else has.
But I won't ask it about memoirs, workplace activities, comics I've read, etc.
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Michael Penn
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Joined: 12 April 2006
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 7:04am | IP Logged | 4
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You're not over-thinking, Robbie. The phrase does come off, intentionally or not, as: "...am I only one smart enough to [etc.]?"
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Robbie Parry
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 7:58am | IP Logged | 5
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Yes, I thought so. In every context I have heard it, there was a smugness, a swagger, superiority, etc.
It is like a red rag to a bull with me.
But I'm a miserable, pedantic git who hates it when someone says/writes "Could of..." rather than "Could have..." ;-)
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Greg McPhee
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 9:57am | IP Logged | 6
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Whenever someone starts a sentence with "Am I the only one...", I cut them off right away by going:
"Yes. Yes, you are."
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Doug Centers
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Joined: 17 February 2014
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 10:12am | IP Logged | 7
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Ha, that's kind of what I do when someone states "Well, all I know is..."
That's all you know?
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Michael Roberts
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 20 April 2004
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 10:51am | IP Logged | 8
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Whenever someone starts a sentence with "Am I the only one...", I cut them off right away by going:
"Yes. Yes, you are."
——-
I thought I was the only one who did that.
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Robert Shepherd
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 1:54pm | IP Logged | 9
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I'm guilty of using that phrase and I also agree that it often comes off as self inflating.
In my defense though, when I've used it, it was a way for me to express my frustration rather than my superiority.
Or, I was fishing for agreement.
For example... Am I the only one who thinks this food is bitter?
I would use that example if I worried I might actually be the only one who thought that. So if others agreed the food was bitter, I'd know I was still "normal" and not "crazy"......whew.
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John Popa
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Joined: 20 March 2008
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 3:14pm | IP Logged | 10
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Whenever someone starts a sentence with "Am I the only one...", I cut them off right away by going:
"Yes. Yes, you are."
-----
I have a bunch of people at work when I ask how they're doing reply with 'oh, you know....' To which I always reply, 'Actually, I don't know, that's why I asked.'
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Peter Martin
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| Posted: 12 July 2018 at 4:05pm | IP Logged | 11
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I thought I was the only one who did that.----------------------- Am I only the one to see what Michael's done here?
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Andrew Saxon
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 2:30am | IP Logged | 12
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I always think of that phrase as being said in an exasperated tone rather than a superior way, and I like that it invites a response/answer. 'Am I the only one who...' certainly doesn't irritate me in the way that starting everything with an unnecessary 'So' does.
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Robbie Parry
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 4:18am | IP Logged | 13
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Fair point, Andrew.
I think what irks me with the author I mentioned in my initial post is that he does it a lot. He also has that FUCKING annoying habit of tweeting a political viewpoint and then adding, "Retweet if you agree."
Great, Marcus Chown, does that mean if I don't retweet it, you are presuming I don't agree? Is he implying that we are too STUPID to decide if his tweet warrants a retweet? Surely if his tweets are as good as he claims they are, they'll get retweets, anyway.
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John Byrne
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 5:55am | IP Logged | 14
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There are a whole bunch of phrases we use without consideration.• "You know what I think?" An abbreviation of "Do you want to know what I think?" In its form as used, I feel an urge to say "Have you told me before?" • "I've always..." Well, unless this is something you have been doing since the day you were born, you really haven't "always" done it. • "I hate..." Do you? Really? Lot of energy in hating. • "I can't wait..." Sure you can. • "Literally..." Only. apparently "literally" and "figuatively" have recently become acceptably interchangeable. Yuck. So many more!!
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 8:36am | IP Logged | 15
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The literally one is overused (the UK media reported on this).
"My heart is literally broken."
(Really? Then I'd call a paramedic, forthwith. You don't have much time left).
Seems redundant in a sense at times, too.
"He literally punched the guy."
(Oh good, I thought he might have figuratively punched the guy during a bar fight).
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Brian Rhodes
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 10:11am | IP Logged | 16
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I've seen, more than once, a post on Facebook that says, "Do you ever look at your child and feel your heart literally melt?"
Well, no. If I did, it would mean my child was some kind of horrible mutant monster...and I wouldn't be around for you to ask.
The ones the post that usually aren't too happy with this reply.
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Shane Matlock
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| Posted: 13 July 2018 at 6:01pm | IP Logged | 17
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The worst most over-used common phrase ever is "do you know what I'm saying" because it's equally condescending and annoying. Usually people that use it a lot aren't saying anything all that difficult to grasp.
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